


in my blood, all the sweet nothings

by ellalopez



Category: Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)
Genre: Carulia, F/F, Post-Season/Series 04, as a treat, julethief, you can have some fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 19:08:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30043359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellalopez/pseuds/ellalopez
Summary: carmen’s looking at her in amusement, and she gently urges her to continue. julia sighs, untangling their hands and finally getting back to the point of their conversation.“am i enough for you?” she asks.
Relationships: Julia "Jules" Argent & Carmen Sandiego | Black Sheep, Julia "Jules" Argent/Carmen Sandiego | Black Sheep
Comments: 15
Kudos: 98





	in my blood, all the sweet nothings

**Author's Note:**

> me: [is extremely well aware that i have not updated say you'll see me again in over a month]  
> also me: heyyy haha have a one shot <3

**JULIA** never thought she’d find a home in San Diego, having grown up overseas in England and France, but it’s not like she’s complaining.

It’s a pleasant afternoon in the warehouse, and Julia’s glad she looked up predicted weather beforehand and picked this weekend to visit. Being promoted to one of A.C.M.E’s lead agents and consultants doesn’t give her a lot of time to spend with her globe-trotting girlfriend, so when she does have days to spare, she spends them with her.

She and Carmen switch off on visiting their respective homes every other week, though it is somewhat chaotic. It had taken until her third trip to San Diego when Carmen had just told her to leave her belongings there, saving her the hassle of packing bags.

Carmen doesn’t bring anything with her when she drops by her Poitiers apartment, making a habit of stealing Julia’s old university hoodies ( ** _“Is that my-”_ ** _“I’m a thief, what did you expect?”_ ) and stuffing her own clothes in the drawers. Her colour is everywhere, her hat hanging on the coat rack and her own hoodie wrapped around Julia’s shoulders as they walk in the park by her place. She buys her a rose every month for the vase in the living room, not caring that it looks wildly out of place amongst the lavender stalks. 

They’ve settled into a comfortable routine, making marks on each other’s lives and souls in ways that scream forever. Julia’s used to turning off the smoke alarm when Carmen attempts to cook for her, trying again and again because she swears she’ll get it right eventually. Carmen greets her neighbours like she’s lived in their community for years, trading traditional recipes with Dr. Zhao across the hall. Julia can’t help but be jealous- she’d been working on befriending Dr. Zhao ever since she moved in, and Carmen had won them over instantly.

(“It’s a part of my charm,” Carmen had said, agreeing to Dr. Zhao’s invitation to come over and cook with them. They had made plans to make steamed buns and dumplings, which were easy enough to start off with. Julia had stood there, gaping, watching as her girlfriend and favourite neighbour exchanged phone numbers for _fun_ that she herself had only received in case of emergency.

“You’re going to burn their apartment down,” was all she could come up with, pouting at her, and Carmen laughed, throwing her head back prettily. Carmen kissed the back of her hand, eyes twinkling.

“Good thing you’re invited along to make sure I don’t.”)

It takes longer for Team Red to welcome her into their fold, but when they do, she learns that Zack and Ivy give bear hugs that are suffocating in the best way. She and Player bond through history and geography, and she tutors him when he needs it. Julia’s not at all surprised when he calls her excitedly, displaying his perfect grade on screen, and when she mentions how proud of him she is, his smile gets impossibly wider. Shadowsan’s another story, still bitter and untrusting after Stockholm, but time is in their favour and she can already see how he’s warming up to her.

(She starts to get why Carmen loves their ragtag crew so much. It’s a group of misfits, too extraordinary to have connected with anyone else.)

To put it simply, Julia is _happy_. She loves Carmen more than she can express, the hold she has on her only deepening by the day. They fit into each other’s worlds seamlessly and she’s so, so grateful for that day on the train for bringing them together.

She’s reminiscing so much she forgets about the book in her hand, and she shakes her head, setting it down on the table. It’s a signed, leather bound limited-edition novel from one of her favourite authors that Carmen had gotten her on the whim just because she said she wanted it, no questions asked.

(“Hey,” Carmen said to her, spinning around with something behind her back. They were halfway down the street, having gotten lunch after the bookstore visit and deciding to take a walk. Julia stopped to fold her arms, raising an eyebrow at her.

“Hey yourself,” she answered, subtly sneaking glances at the object Carmen was holding. It was no use, though, because it was wrapped in paper and tied snugly with string, hiding the contents inside. She couldn’t discern what it was, but she had a vague feeling...

“So remember that book you mentioned you wanted two hours ago?” Carmen began, all nonchalant as if Julia wasn’t about to freak out on her.

“Carmen. _Please_ don’t tell me you spent the paycheck A.C.M.E gave you for helping out with Paper Star’s capture on that book—”

“Can’t do that, love, or I’d be lying,” she said, handing the rectangular package to her with a crooked grin etched on her face. Julia couldn’t even look upset as she untied the strings and gasped, running her fingers over the cover.

“You’re forgiven. Just this once.”

“What, no thank you for your awesome girlfriend?”

“Thank you.” Julia kissed her cheek in gratitude, clutching the book with care. “Don’t do this for me again, or I’ll move all our money to an offshore bank account that only I can access. I love you.”

“Noted, but will dutifully be ignored. I’d like to discuss that last part- should I be jealous? Was what would be our first I love you be intended for the book?”

“What?” Julia blinked. She hadn’t even realized— _fuck_. They were in the middle of a sidewalk, too, not at home or anywhere remotely romantic.

“Not for the book, then?” Carmen smirked. Julia tucked the book under her arm and kissed her, effectively cutting off whatever she was going to say next.

“Always for you. I love you,” she repeated, once they were both breathless.

“I love you too.”)

In the present, Carmen is half asleep, having taken residence on her lap, burrowing into her side. Julia’s heart aches at the sight; Carmen is everything to her and more, and she knows she feels the same, but she has to ask—

“Carmen,” Julia mutters softly, prompting the thief, who’s shifted so she’s lying on her chest. “Do you...”

Carmen stirs sleepily, smiling up at her girlfriend through half-lidded eyes. “Yeah, Jules?”

“It’s a dumb question,” she says quickly, avoiding the way Carmen is looking at her. Of course Carmen loves her just as much as she does her, she doesn’t need to say it verbally to prove it. Carmen’s more actions than words, and that’s how they work, with their acts of service and words of affirmation.

“Nothing’s ever a dumb question when it’s coming from you,” Carmen replies, slightly more awake and nuzzling her neck. Laughing quietly, Julia kisses the top of her head and she’s never been more in love in her life.

“It is, though,” Julia insists, red blooming across her cheeks like it usually does when she’s embarrassed. “We can forget this conversation and you can go back to sleep.”

Carmen sits up, fully alert, and tilts her head at her. “Okay, now I’m curious.”

“We really don’t have to—”

“Jules,” Carmen says seriously, grabbing her hands and holding them tightly. “I promise, whatever you say to me, I won’t be upset. You think I want to lose you over a conversation?”

Julia grimaces, remembering the miscommunication at Stockholm and the fallout afterwards. “...Well,” she starts, and Carmen rolls her eyes.

“Excluding that moment,” she says. “The experience made us stronger, it was fine! Look where we are now!”

“Player didn’t let you talk to me for two weeks,” Julia reminds her.

“The kid is fierce!” Carmen protests. “Plus, he was worried about me, which made sense considering he heard me crash and land before my comms got severed. What was I supposed to do when he asked me to stay away for a while? Say no?”

That Julia could understand. She wouldn’t have let Carmen near her either, the state of her looking so vulnerable still ringing in her mind. Carmen keeps talking, not waiting for her agreement. She knows how they both feel about Stockholm, having had a tearful conversation about it- the same conversation Carmen is bringing up now.

“Besides, he lifted the ban when we saw you at that museum, and we had that nice rooftop chat.”

“You lifted me through a window with your grappling hook and then it started raining,” Julia deadpans.

“Don’t change the subject,” Carmen says sternly, then she adds- “We both ended up crying anyway, so the rain made no difference.”

“I was soaked,” Julia snorts. “I had to ask Chief where we got our suits dry-cleaned because A.C.M.E suit material is different and can’t be placed in the hands of public businesses.”

(But it was worth it, she thinks. How Carmen had embraced her, the two of them anchoring each other to earth as the rain fell around them. Stockholm was never about the betrayal, but their _trust,_ and that was why it had hurt as much as it did.)

Carmen’s looking at her in amusement, and she gently urges her to continue. Julia sighs, untangling their hands and finally getting back to the point of their conversation.

“Am I enough for you?” she asks, the words rushing out of her in a hushed breath of air. Carmen’s eyes widen almost comically so, and her response comes out a lot louder and panicked than she intended.

“Of course you are!” she exclaims, leaning into her and moving to hold her face between her hands. She doesn’t kiss her, only gazing at her with that wide-eyed stare. “Jules, what makes you think you’re not? Did I do something? If I did—”

“You said you wouldn’t be upset,” Julia points out, wishing she never said anything. Carmen’s hands are on the back of her neck, playing with the ends of her hair, and her actions still.

“Touché,” she says, speaking more calmly. Carmen drops a hand to her chin, tilting her face up so their eyes meet. “Jules, of course you’re enough for me. I could list everything I love about you, but we’d be here until the end of time.”

Julia exhales, breaking her gaze. “No, you’re right, I was being silly.”

“Let me finish,” Carmen chides. “You’re determined, never afraid to speak your mind and voice what you believe in. You’re clever, seeing patterns and meanings where others can’t. You’re kind, and anyone on the receiving end of your kindness is so incredibly lucky. You’re witty, keeping up with my banter and offering sharp remarks that make me love you all the more.”

Julia melts, eyes welling up with tears. Carmen brushes one from the corner of her eye with her thumb, a feather light caress on the side of her face.

“You also look amazing in backless dresses,” she grins, and Julia blushes, red flushing the tips of her ears.

“Flirting with me even when I’m a crying mess, huh?”

“Hey, don’t talk about my girlfriend like that!” Carmen scolds her, a playful lilt to her tone. “You know what I’m trying to say though, right? You’ve always been enough for me, and I’m sorry if I ever made you doubt that.”

Julia nods, too emotional to say anything else. She swallows, thinking of another thing.

“Does this...” she gestures at the expanse of the warehouse, their mugs on the kitchen counter, the book on the table. “...Our relationship. Does it hold you back? I know you want to travel the world, and I would never want to force you to be tied down into anything. Our arrangement is functional, but if you want—”

“Hold me back?” Carmen echoes, interrupting her mid-sentence. “Jules, if anything, you push me forward. It’s not traveling the world unless it’s with you by my side,” she says honestly. Julia can’t form an answer, stunned by the implication of that admission, her heart pounding.

“You’re who I want to come back to and who I fight for, end of story. I’d like to do this for the rest of our lives, if you’ll have me.”

Julia can’t breathe. Carmen sees the stricken look on her pale face and grabs her shoulders, realizing what she said.

“I’m not proposing!” she reassures her, and Julia chokes out a laugh, letting Carmen pull her into her arms. “Not yet anyway,” she teases.

Julia relaxes into Carmen’s safe embrace, thinking of the ring hidden in the locked cabinet of her nightstand, waiting for the right moment.

“The rest of our lives,” Julia whispers, her worries turning to nothing but thoughts in the back of her mind. They were always going to be enough for each other, making each other better- she knew that now. “I like the sound of that.”


End file.
